Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) has proposed removing provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act to eliminate language requiring the Defense to cut 5 percent of its civilian and contractor workers between fiscal years 2012 and 2017.

Cardin’s office said Wednesday those cuts would amount to eliminating 36,000 civilian jobs and tens of thousands of defense contractor jobs.

According to the Washington Post, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) added that amendment to the NDAA requiring a specific cut to the Pentagon’s workforce.

McCain’s office told the Post the Senate Armed Services Committee unanimously approved the bill containing the cuts in May, the civilian workforce cut matches the Pentagon’s plans to cut its military personnel numbers.

The Arizona lawmaker said in May the Army was set to reduce its troop size by 100,000 and the Marine Corps by 80,000, according to Federal News Radio.

Cardin and 48 other Senate Democrats approved the original version of the NDAA in June, according to the Post.